Spatula

ABSTRACT

A spatula for lifting and turning food items on a grill or the like embodies a pair of spatula blades arranged substantially at right angles. A manipulating handle is secured to the blade structure and extends beyond one end thereof along a line parallel to the vertex of the dihedral angle formed by the blade. The construction of the spatula assists in the turning over of eggs, hamburgers and the like and tends to shield the user from splattering by hot grease. The device may also be used as a scoop for certain foods in particle form.

United States Patent 1 Godlewski Sept. 1 l, 1973 [54] SPATULA 2,601,3606/1952 Blackshear 294/8 [75] Inventor: Joseph F. Godlewski,Gaithersburg,

Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry [73]Assrgnee: Vincent K. McMahon, Gaithersbury, Aimmey Brady, og l & GatesMd. a part interest I 221 Filed: Nov. 30, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT App]. No.:203,368

A spatula for lifting and turning food items on a grill or the likeembodies a pair of spatula blades arranged substantially at rightangles. A manipulating handle is secured to the blade structure andextends beyond one end thereof along a line parallel to the vertex ofthe dihedral angle formed by the blade. The construction of the spatulaassists in the turning over of eggs, hamburgers and the like and tendsto shield the user from splattering by hot grease. The device may alsobe used as a scoop for certain foods in particle form.

7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures SPATULA Conventional spatulas embody asingle flat thin resilient blade with which food articles on a grill orfrying pan are customarily lifted and turned. The implement, whilegenerally effective, is somewhat inefficient and falls short ofsatisfying the need completely, particularly in connection withcommercial establishments where large numbers of food items must behandled as rapidly as possible. This is particularly true in restaurantswhich employ large grills for cooking hamburgers, fried eggs, pancakesand the like.

A chief difficulty or deficiency in the conventional spatula lies in itsinability to steady the food item, such as a fried egg, during theturning process. Particularly when in the presence of hot grease, an eggor the like may tend to slide off of the spatula prematurely with theresult that the egg yolk will be broken and the order of the grill willbe disturbed. Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide animproved spatula which will greatly facilitate the handling and inparticular the turning of certain delicate items, such as eggs andpancakes. The spatula is constructed to utilize gravity in such a way asto actually assist in the turning over process. The food articles areprevented from slipping off the spatula prematurely. During the turningover of foods on a grill, the spatula forms a protective shield so thatthe user will not be splattered with hot grease. Additionally, thedevice may be conveniently used for scooping up fried potatos andsimilar food particles from a grill or frying pan. In one form of theinvention, the spatula blade is detachable from the handle to facilitatecleaning.

Various additional features and advantages of the invention will beapparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of aspatula embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse fragmentary cross section taken on line2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the spatula in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of spatula;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale takenon line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing a modification ofthe spatula inFIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a, perspective view of a spatula in accordance withanothermodification;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross section taken on line 8-8- of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line. 9-9 ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 isacross sectional view similar to FIG. 9 with the. spatula bodyremoved from the handle;

, FIG. 11 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the spatula:shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further modified form ofspatulaaccording to the invention.

DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawingsin detail wherein like numerals designate like parts, FIGS. 1-3inclusive show an embodiment of the invention wherein a spatulacomprises a body portion including a pair of thin flat Rearwardly of thespatula body, the handle rises from the vertex 22 as at 24 to facilitateclearing the rim of a frying pan or the like and from this point thehandle is extended rearwardly for a convenient distance along a lineparallel to the vertex 22 and at its rear end carries a suitable grip25.

To increase the resiliency of the spatula, particularly at its leadingend, the handle portion 23 is terminated substantially rearwardly of theleading end of the body 20 and from this point forwardly a slot 26 isformed in the spatula body along the vertex 22 so as to divide andseparate the leading end portions of the two spatula blades 21, allowingthem to flex, as; required, upon contact with a grill surface or thelike.

In the use of the spatula as above described, an article of food, suchas an egg, pancake or hamburger, is lifted from the grill surface by oneof the blades 21, such blade being engaged under the food by a lateralor longitudinal movement as dictated by the position of the food on thegrill or frying pan. In order to invert or turn the food article, thespatula is simply rotated on the axis of the handle and the article willpass from one blade 21 to the opposite blade while turning over and fromthe second blade, the article is deposited without splashing onto thegrill in the desired inverted position. The double-bladed arrangementthus allows delicate articles, such as fried eggs, to be turned in amore gen tle manner without breaking or damaging the article. Since thehandle is at the center or vertex of the spatula body, the implement isessentially right or left handed from the start. Another feature of thedevice is that 7 during the turning operation the spatula body 20 servesas a shield to protect the user from splattering grease. In some cases,the device may be employed usefully as a scoop for lifting potatos orthe like from a pan or grill. The numerous advantages of the spatulaover conventional types will be readily appreciated in light of theabove explanation.

FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings depict a modification of the inventionwherein the identical spatula body 20 may be utilized. Instead of theleading handle portion 23 of the prior embodiment, an upstandingblade-like leading handle portion 27 is utilized and forms an abutmentor stop at the center of the right dihedral angle formed by the spatulablades 21, FIG. 5. The element 27 is secured by welding or the like tothe spatula body and extends along the interior of the vertex 22 to therear edge of the spatula body and is fixed in this position. The forwardend of the stop element 27 terminates at therear end of slot 26, asshown in FIG. 4, and the purpose of this slot is the same as describedin the prior embodiment. Rearwardly of the element 27, the spatulahandle is offset upwardly from the vertex 22 as shown at 28 and the rearend of the handle carries a convenient grip 29.

In use, when turning a food article, such as a fried egg or hamburger30, FIG. 5, when the spatula is rotated on the axis of its handle,thefood article 30 will slide down one blade 21 toward the vertex 22 andwill be arrested by the stop 27. In response to continued rotation ofthe spatula, the article 30 will be flipped over cleanly onto theopposite blade 21 and from this second blade will be deposited onto thecooking surface. While the stop element 27 is not essential, it has beenfound to improve the turning operation and is therefore preferred. FIG.6 shows a slight variation of the construction in FIGS. 4 and 5, whereinthe entire spatula body 31 including the two right angular blades 32 andcentral riblike stop 33 are all integrally formed by molding or castingfrom a suitable plastic, ceramic material or the like. In all otherrespects, the spatula in FIG. 6 is the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 4and and is utilized in the same manner. Preferably, the rib-like stops27 and 33 project above the vertex of the spatula body for approximatelyone/fourth inch. FIG. 3 shows the spatula positioned on a cooking orgrilling surface for lifting a food article prior to turning it.

FIGS. 7 through 11 show another modification wherein the right angularspatula body 34 is readily detachable from a handle 35 for conveniencein cleaning so that no food particles or grease will accumulate incorners or crevices. In this embodiment, the handle 35 includes aleading extension 36 which is V-shaped and right angular in crosssection and immediately underlies the vertex portion 37 of spatula body34, the latter portion being struck upwardly somewhat from the planes ofspatula blades 38, FIG. 9, so as to provide a smooth exterior surfacenear the vertex of the spatula.

The handle 35 additionally carries at its center an upstanding blade orrib element 39 which divides the dihedral angle equally and serves as astop for food articles during the turning operation, as describedpreviously. The rib element 39 has its rear end portion 40 fixed to thehandle 35 by welding or the like and forwardly of this point, theelement 39 is unattached to the handle extension 36 and is spacedslightly above the vertex 41 of this extension, as best shown in FIG.10. The leading end of the element 39 has a small depending projection42 which serves as a detent to retain the spatula body 34 on the handle35 until separation of the parts is required. The element 39 is somewhatresilient or yielding since it is cantilevered forwardly from itsattachment at 40 to the handle.

When the spatula is assembled for use, the body 34 is slidlongitudinally over the V-shaped extension 36 and under the resilientelement 39. The vertex of the right angular body 34 enters the narrowspace 43, FIG. 10, beneath the element 39 and between it and the handleextension 36. When the spatula body 34 reaches the rear end of the space43, the detent element 42 will snap over the leading edge of vertexportion 37 and lock the spatula body firmly to the handle. The spatulashown in FIGS. 7 to I1 is utilized in the same manner as described inconnection with FIGS. 4 to 6, when picking up and turning over foodarticles. If it is desired to render the leading ends of the spatulablades 38 more resilient, these blades may be extended somewhat beyondthe handle extension 36 and provided with a central slot similar to theslot 26.

FIG. 12 shows another modification wherein the spatula body 20,previously described, may be utilized together with a manipulatinghandle 44 which is attached to the rear end portion of one blade 21 nearthe transverse center thereof and therefore spaced laterally from thevertex 22. The handle 44 extends parallel to the vertex. This off-centerrelationship of the handle to the body of the spatula enables thespatula to be selfturning to a degree when an article of food is liftedon the blade 21 having the handle secured thereto. When the spatula isrotated to transfer the food to the other blade 2] remote from thehandle, the shifting of weight away from the handle axis assists in theturning operation because of the off-center or eccentric relationship ofhandle to spatula body.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used asterms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention,in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalentsof the features shown and described or portions thereof but it isrecognized that various modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

I claim:

1. A spatula for turning a load thereon, comprising a spatula body, saidbody formed of resilient sheet material and consisting of a pair ofdivergent blades disposed approximately at right angles to each otherand having inwardly facing free load engaging working surfaces so thatsaid body forms a dihedral angle with the blades joined along the vertexof the dihedral angle, a handle attached to the spatula body andextending beyond one end of the body in approximate parallelism withsaid vertex, and said spatula body having a narrow slot formed in itsleading end substantially on and along said vertex opposite the end towhich said handle is attached of a width spacing the planes of saidblades laterally whereby each of the leading ends of said blades ispositioned to independently resiliently flex inwardly relative to andadjacent to the leading end of the other blade while a load is engagedon the inwardly facing working surface of one of said blades, anupstanding stop element connected on the interior of and extending thelength of the connecting vertex and terminating rearwardly of the narrowslot and approximately bisecting said dihedral angle, and said handleadapted to be rotated to simultaneously turn and transfer a load fromthe said working surface of one of said blades to the adjacent saidworking surface of the other of said blades.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said handle being attached to saidspatula body substantially at said vertex.

3. The structure of claim 2, and the handle including a leading portionlying in intimate connection with and only on the interior of the vertexthroughout its length and clear of the working surfaces of said pair ofblades and terminating rearwardly of the narrow slot in the leading endof the spatula body.

4. The structure of claim 3, and said leading portion of the handlelying on the interior of said vertex comprising an upstanding stopelement extending the length of the vertex and connecting approximatelybisecting said dihedral angle.

5. A spatula comprising a spatula body, said body consisting of a pairof divergent blades disposed approximately-at right angles to each otherso that said body forms a dihedral angle with the blades joined alongthe vertex of the dihedral angle, a handle attached to the spatula bodysubstantially at said vertex and extending beyond one end of the body inapproximate parallelism with said vertex, said handle including aleading portion lying on the interior of the vertex and terminatingrearwardly of the leading end of the spatula body, said spatula bodyhaving a slot opening in the vertex through the leading end thereofforwardly of the terminal end of said leading portion, and said leadingportion of the handle comprising an upstanding stop element in the formof a narrow shallow blade-like element rising from said vertex andapproximately bisecting said dihedral angle and extending from said slotrearwardly to the rear end of said spatula body.

6. A spatula comprising a spatula body, said body consisting of a pairof divergent blades disposed approximately at right angles to each otherso that said body forms a dihedral angle with the blades joined alongthe vertex of the dihedral angle, a handle attached to the spatula bodyand extending beyond one end of the body in approximate parallelism withsaid vertex, releasable detent means on said handle engaging the spatulabody and comprising a generally V- shaped forward extension on saidhandle engaging beneath the vertex of the spatula body, and anupstanding rib element on the handle overlying said V-shaped extensionand engaging above the vertex of the spatula body when the latter isresting on said V-shaped extension whereby said body is rendereddetachable from the handle.

7. The structure of claim 6, and said rib element attached to saidhandle rearwardly of the spatula body and being somewhat resilient, anda depending projection on the forward end of the rib element engagingthe forward edge of the spatula body to lock the same releasably on thehandle.

* l =k i

1. A spatula for turning a load thereon, comprising a spatula body, saidbody formed of resilient sheet material and consisting of a pair ofdivergent blades disposed approximately at right angles to each otherand having inwardly facing free load engaging working surfaces so thatsaid body forms a dihedral angle with the blades joined along the vertexof the dihedral angle, a handle attached to the spatula body andextending beyond one end of the body in approximate parallelism withsaid vertex, and said spatula body having a narrow slot formed in itsleading end substantially on and along said vertex opposite the end towhich said handle is attached of a width spacing the planes of saidblades laterally whereby each of the leading ends of said blades ispositioned to independently resiliently flex inwardly relative to andadjacent to the leading end of the other blade while a load is engagedon the inwardly facing working surface of one of said blades, anupstanding stop element connected on the interior of and extending thelength of the connecting vertex and terminating rearwardly of the narrowslot and approximately bisecting said dihedral angle, and said handleadapted to be rotated to simultaneously turn and transfer a load fromthe said working surface of one of said blades to the adjacent saidworking surface of the other of said blades.
 2. The structure of claim1, and said handle being attached to said spatula body substantially atsaid vertex.
 3. The structure of claim 2, and the handle including aleading portion lying in intimate connection with and only on theinterior of the vertex throughout its length and clear of the workingsurfaces of said pair of blades and terminating rearwardly of the narrowslot in the leading end of the spatula body.
 4. The structure of claim3, and said leading portion of the handle lying on the interior of saidvertex comprising an upstanding stop element extending the length of thevertex and connecting approximately bisecting said dihedral angle.
 5. Aspatula comprising a spatula body, said body consisting of a pair ofdivergent blades disposed approximately at right angles to each other sothat said body forms a dihedral angle with the blades joined along thevertex of the dihedral angle, a handle attached to the spatula bodysubstantially at said vertex and extending beyond one end of the body inapproximate parallelism with said vertex, said handle including aleading portion lying on the interior of the vertex and terminatingrearwardly of the leading end of the spatula body, said spatula bodyhaving a slot opening in the vertex through the leading end thereofforwardly of the terminal end of said leading portion, and said leadingportion of the handle comprising an upstanding stop element in the formof a narrow shallow blade-like element rising from said vertex andapproximately bisecting said dihedral angle and extending from said slotrearwardly to the rear end of said spatula body.
 6. A spatula comprisinga spatula body, said body consisting of a pair of divergent bladesdisposed approximately at right angles to each other so that said bodyforms a dihedral angle with the blades joined along the vertex of thedihedral angle, a handle attached to the spatula body and extendingbeyond one end of the body in approximate parallelism with said vertex,releasable detent means on said handle engaging the spatula body andcomprising a generally V-shaped forward extension on said handleengaging beneath the vertex of the spatula body, and an upstanding ribelement on the handle overlying said V-shaped extension and engagingabove the vertex of the spatula body when the latter is resting on saidV-shaped extension whereby said body is rendered detachable from thehandle.
 7. The structure of claim 6, and said rib element attached tosaid handle rearwardly of the spatula body and being somewhat resilient,and a depending projection on the forward end of the rib elementengaging the forward edge of the spatula body to lock the samereleasably on the handle.